Sarek's Log
by Gyptian
Summary: The story of how Sarek abducted an alien and fell in love with her. A 21st century AU.
1. Sarek goes to Earth

**Sarek's Log**

Author: Gyptian

Rating: PG-13

Genre: Romance, AU

Summary: The story of how Sarek abducted an alien and fell in love with her. A 21st century AU.

Disclaimer: not mine.

Author's notes: Because the stardates in this AU series will be Vulcan-centric, they do not relate in any way to the stardates found elsewhere. Watch the log numbers: it's about a recording a day. This story grew from a prologue of a piece of fiction I'm currently outlining into an actual story. Sarek is talkative, for a Vulcan.

**1: Sarek goes to Earth**

**Sarek, son of Stonn, personal log #1492, stardate 1073.24.**

The T'Khut has sent a summary of their results directly to the High Council. Their mission was to passively observe and analyse the data humans bounce between their satellites and their planet and to establish which means of information gathering would yield relevant facts for researching their progress in consolidation of their culture.

It seems they found something of interest, that may change the upcoming mission for myself and my crew. It remains to be seen to what degree.

The most honourable elder T'Pau has ordered me to attend the next Council meeting. I will obey her, as always.

**Sarek, son of Stonn, personal log #1495, stardate 1073.29.**

The humans have made a crucial discovery about themselves that requires us to revise our opinion of them and rewrite our mission.

Formerly, we assumed them to be psi-null, to communicate purely by means of what they have called their "five senses", a variety of nerves that gather data about their environment, transmit it to their mind, which translates it into memory and action. No sense directly tied to the mind, such as empathy or telepathy, was ever conclusively proven to exist on Earth.

Now we have discovered texts that say they have a type of pseudo-empathy, specifically, mirror empathy. They do depend on their five senses, but what they perceive about other beings is immediately fed into a part of their nervous system that allows them to experience what another experiences, to a certain extent. They fear when another cringes. They salivate when they see someone else eat.

Their mirror empathy would mean they can facilitate empathic or telepathic contact, perhaps even a permanent link, unlike Ferengi. The High Council believes this makes humanity capable of aiding us in future repopulation projects. We are currently six billion strong, but our population will be half that within three generations. Our birth rate is low, too low.

The High Council believes this gives us sufficient time to... test genetical compatability between our races. The probability that Earth is warp-capable by that time is 87.293%. We may become allies and... mingle.

It is logical. I must admit to reluctance in translating this information into specifications for our changed mission.

T'Pau has ordered me to oversee a field test of compatibility between humans and Vulcans. She reminds me that, as ever, the House of Surak must lead the Vulcan race in whatever direction is most beneficial to them.

**Sarek, son of Stonn, personal log #1508, stardate 1073.54.**

I have procrastinated in defining our new mission until it was too late: T'Pau has made an unnanounced visit to my office and interrogated my staff. Two requested a day off to spend some time in deep meditation.

I explained that humans are sentient creatures. To use them as test subjects is unethical.

T'Pau pointed out the participation of Vulcans as voluntary subjects in a myriad of experiments at the Science Academy.

Three further hours of discussion has seen a revision in her order: I am to take my ship to Earth with minimal crew and two xenoanthropologists. Once there, they are to draft a profile of the type of human most likely to agree to come to a strange planet, live amongst its people, select one and bond with them.

We are to observe humans, select several individuals, beam them aboard and offer them the choice to come with us. If they say no, their memory is wiped. If they say yes, they are transported to Vulcan and given every kind of support.

In the meanwhile, we are to prevent ourselves from contaminating a pre-warp civilisation.

T'Pau has informed me I will find this a challenge worthy of a scion of Surak.

**Sarek, son of Stonn, personal log #1545, stardate 1073.98.**

We have arrived at Earth and, for the first time, we will delve not simply into public information streams, but into personal accounts.

This is too much like espionage, like exploitation. We are not at war with these people. They are unaware of our existence.

The only reassurance for my conscience lies in whatever measure of choice we will allow those selected to come with us.

**Sarek, son of Stonn, personal log #1556, stardate 1073.129.**

We have found recordings, sometimes deeply personal, freely available in their data streams. It is as if at least part of this population does not practice privacy.

**Sarek, son of Stonn, personal log #1570, stardate 1073.139.**

A large part of the audio-visual recordings we have collected about humans, especially about individuals, are either about past events or entirely fanciful. They call it fiction.

It is puzzling.

Written records are proving to be more reliable, so we will use that as our primary source of information. They at least clearly announce when they are fictional.

Among these fictional records, both written and audio-visual, P'rinta, our senior xeno-anthropologist has found scenarios similar to the ones we found ourselves in, in which humans are abducted by a race from a different world. Nearly all of these end badly for the humans. They call them horror, the aliens in those scenarios monsters.

I am not comfortable with the similarity between ourselves and these creatures.

P'rinta has urged us to include the assurance that we are not carnivorous as a standard part of our welcome to any humans we beam up.

**Sarek, son of Stonn, personal log #1690, stardate 1073.233.**

We have received a response to our initial report to the High Council. The Science Academy is also taking an active interest in our mission, though they generally have disdain for any publications of the Space Exploration and Defense Association.

They have approved our time line and the procedure we have outlined. We will begin the selection of individuals in the upcoming days. The first humans to be beamed up will be welcomed aboard in a fortnight.

T'Pau's approval of me seems to be inversely proportionate to my approval of myself. This is not beneficial to my relationship with my clan mother.


	2. Sarek meets an alien

**2: Sarek meets an alien**

**Sarek, son of Stonn, personal log #1705, stardate 1073.247.**

The first attempt at recruiting humans to come to Vulcan ended in chaos.

P'rinta and Boldek, in their selection of humans for us to beam up, chose independent, adventurous, flexible humans between twenty and forty years of age. Adults, but still in the first half of their lives. They were to have no familial, romantic or professional obligations that would keep them on earth.

Humans, between the time they find themselves compatible with another human and the time they commit themselves to marriage, their version of a bond, have a period of courtship and informal commitment. Some never formalise this commitment. This information was not known at the time our xenoanthropologists made their selection.

We beamed aboard a human who had such an informal commitment to another. She immediately demanded to be returned to her "date". We were unable to calm her down and ensure her cooperation for a sufficient amount of time to simply have her refuse and submit to a memory wipe.

This problem would have been more easily contained had she not assumed leadership of the group, who were strangers to her. It seems humans decide their group structure instinctively, within seconds.

With very little data, she was able to make conclusions about the series of events that had brought her aboard. She could not be convinced of our goodwill, however. After several threats, she launched a physical attack on me.

The nerve pinch has an identical effect on humans and Vulcans, I discovered. My crew rendered the rest of the group unconscious. We performed the memory wipe and returned everyone.

Of some interest is that the reaction of two crewmembers to this human were identical to the one they would have to an encounter with my honourable clan mother.

It seems that we are able to relate to these humans as we would to our fellow Vulcans. This offers perspective. I will have to devise some tests to see whether this hypothesis holds true in other situations.

The human is called Winona Harolds. I have recommended in my report that tabs are kept on her and any associates in the future. The memory wipe may have side effects when performed on an unconscious mind, although the risk is low, at 0.34%.

She did not seem startled by the fact that we were aliens. Her negative reaction was caused by the fact that she perceived us to be bent on abducting her without her consent. Despite the fact that she was highly emotional, she was able to remain controlled and draw conclusions at a rate and with data so limited few Vulcans could have equaled it. That and her lack of prejudice against other species might mean that she would be a suitable liaison in a future alliance.

T'Pau has ordered me to send a report of this first encounter to the High Council. I obey, but am not able to suppress the suspicion it is meant as a punishment. I find myself spending many words on the accusations leveled at us by the humans. Perhaps it will mean the end of this mission. Even with the investments in this mission, and its importance to the future of our race, this is not an unwelcome prospect.

**Sarek, son of Stonn, personal log #1716, stardate 1074.1.**

My conversation with Winona Harolds continues to intrude upon my meditation. I agree with her, but cannot let that guide me in my actions.

**Sarek, son of Stonn, personal log #1719, stardate 1074.5.**

T'Pau has sent me the High Council's official response to the report describing our first live encounter with humans. Appended were the plans for the accommodations currently being built for their use.

She has personally donated the land where the building will take place. It is the parcel of the House of Surak's grounds that would have become mine after I had become kal'i'farr, bonded. It is close to the koon-ut-kalifee of our House.

She is most unsubtle both in her rebuke and in her reminder.

**Sarek, son of Stonn, personal log #1807, stardate 1074.98.**

We have now spent a year in orbit around Earth. We have avoided detection, though barely, sometimes.

We only have 4 humans aboard, all male.

T'Pau is unsatisfied with our progress.

Since spending more time with the humans, I have become more sanguine about this mission. It seems the opportunity for exploration, though they are dependent on us for their transport, can be as powerful a motivation for them as it can be for us, although they believe this to be an emotion rather than a character trait. "Curiosity," they call it. "Curious" is also a word for an object which they do not understand and certain types of behaviour strange to them. Sometimes, they refuse to be convinced of the logic of, for example, meditation, although it seems there are large individual differences.

Boldek has convinced two humans to teach him Terran meditation techniques.

**Sarek, son of Stonn, personal log #1845, stardate 1074.130.**

We are beaming up humans one at the time and sending only one of the crew in to greet them. Our succes rate has increased by a factor of 2.34. They are more receptive to conversation and feel less threatened when not outnumbered.

We currently have thirty humans aboard our ship.

One reason for our success was pointed out by Sun Lee, one of the humans. When a human meets a Vulcan individually, they tend to 'take a liking', as he called it, to that crewmember, which can develop into an acquintance and even a "friendship". This is a relationship that is not familial, romantic, professional or based on anything but the wish of those two individuals to associate. These types of relationships are apparently of great emotional benefit to humans. I have asked P'rinta to take this into account with the selection of future individuals, to scan for close friendship as well.

Since the humans are starting to help us in the running of our ship, it allows us to associate more extensively with them. It seems we have happened upon a succesful strategy for integration unintentionally.

**Sarek, son of Stonn, personal log #1847, stardate 1074.133.**

I will welcome the next human aboard.

I have reviewed her file extensively. Her name is Amanda Grayson. She has no surviving family and is currently in the process of selling her property. She has expressed a wish to travel in a public personal log.

**Sarek, son of Stonn, personal log #1857, stardate 1074.143.**

Amanda Grayson has agreed to stay aboard and travel to Vulcan.

She is a teacher and has expressed a wish to learn the language, though our translator is functional. She believes it to be a good way to start learning about a culture. "You learn how people think by the way they speak," were her exact words.

We disagree on many topics.

**Sarek, son of Stonn, personal log #1878, stardate 1074.154 **

I discovered she has started taking language classes with P'rinta. When I enquired after her reason for doing so, Ms Grayson commented that windows open when doors close. This is illogical. After informing her of this, she told me I could not communicate. Since I have specialised in the modes of communication possible over interstellar distances, this is untrue. She said it meant I could misunderstand people far and near and wished me luck in this endeavor. Luck is irrelevant, and misunderstandings only seemed to abound when she is in the vicinity.

I have received a commendation from T'Pau. As soon as we have collected fifty humans, we are to return to Vulcan. Their residences are almost completed. Encouraged by Boldek and P'rinta, they have made a list of personal preferences in the furnishing of these houses. These do not seem to be based in practicality.

**Sarek, son of Stonn, personal log #1905, stardate 1074.187**

Every Vulcan crew member now is a "buddy" to a human that primarily associates with them, except for me.

I have more time to focus on running the ship and collate the data for reports for a series of meetings organised jointly by the Space Exploration and Defense Association and the Vulcan Science Academy. The occasion is a series of philosophical publications from the Vulcan Science Academy which address the same ethical issues I encountered when this mission started.

T'Pau has declared I am an expert in this area, because I have resolved these issues for myself and can thus defend SEDA's position on this and support it with first-hand experiences. I am preparing several papers that will form the foundation of my arguments. T'Pau tells me... It is unimportant. She seems to delight in putting obstacles before me.

Since my failure in strengthening the initial connection between myself and Ms Grayson into a friendship, I am the crewmember most distant from the humans and by extension from my own crew. They have become a cohesive group. It seems the association between Vulcans and humans will be more succesful than anyone could have predicted.

I am not part of the group, and I cannot seem to end this isolation. I will have ample time to prepare my defense against the Vulcan Science Academy.

**Sarek, son of Stonn, personal log #1907, stardate** **1074.168.**

**[supplemental, conversation between Amanda Grayson and Sarek]**

"Enter."

"I knew it! You're moping in the quarters, like the stiff more-logical-than-thou Captain that you are, pretending to work on something big and important."

"Ms Grayson-"

"I have told you to call me Amanda! Everyone does."

"Ms Grayson, I am working on something important. Hiding would be illogical."

"Yeah, so everyone else gets to prance around with their personal Vulcan tour guide while I somehow have to figure out this whole gig on my own? What's so important that you can't make time for me?"

"Ms Grayson, desist in your illogical accusations. You were the one who ended our association. I am simply spending my time productively."

"I did not! We just had a few differences of opinion, that doesn't mean... Here, I'll prove to you that I don't hate you, alright?"

"What... Ms Grayson, please explain why you are kissing me. Immediately."

"Wow, was that intonation? And I'm just holding your hand."

"Indeed."

"Is that... Seriously? You mean I've caught Boldek and Anna making out?"

"Please release me."

"Alright, you ninny."

"Explain what you intended to accomplish by visiting uninvited intimacies upon my person."

"Oh, dear, you're going formal. Have I insulted you?"

"I simply wish to know the reason behind your actions."

"Geesh, fine. I wanted to show you my emotions. You can read me, right, when I touch you? I've seen others do it. You seem to think I dislike you. I don't. You're just... infuriating sometimes."

"I see. Could you inform me whom you have observed touching in this manner."

"I don't know, several people. Does it matter?"

"We usually only perform such actions when we are testing for mental compatibility."

"Uh..."

"It is necessary between future bondmates."

"Y'mean these people are seeing if they like each other before they put a ring on it?"

"Affirmative, if you are referring to your ritual for declaring someone married."

"Aren't you going to stop them?"

"Why?"

"I don't know, isn't trying to ah, associate intimately with another race illogical, when you can't reproduce?"

"Reproduction would be possible."

"What?"

"We have tested-"

"You have tested. You mean, you actually researched whether we could have babies together. Did you take us in order to make you babies? Of all the... I thought you wanted our two cultures to come to some sort of alliance in the future. That we were going there to... to explore!"

"You are. It is. My apologies. I was not completely truthful."

"Then tell me now."

"I... we discovered your race was compatible with mine, to the point where we could bond, telepathically marry, and produce off-spring, over time perhaps even without medical intervention. We, this ship, was ordered to come to Earth and invite several humans to come to Vulcan and live amongst us."

"And what? You were going to marry us off?"

"No... we hoped that with time, several would naturally form romantic attachments and wish to marry, to bond, and have children. We estimated between twenty and fifty percent might choose to do so."

"Er."

"It is morally ambigious."

"No kidding. So how'd you justify it?"

"In my interactions with humans. Personal experiences weigh heavier than abstract concerns."

"You met us and you decided it was alright all of the sudden?"

"No, I met you and I found that I needed to correct some factors in my reasoning, such as your ability to adapt to new environments."

"Oh believe me, we're still plenty confused and weirded out. Especially now."

"Yet you are functional."

"Yeah, well, we chose to go, didn't we?"

"You did. Similarly, whether anything beyond an intellectual exchange between humans and Vulcans takes place is your choice."

"Alright, fine. But don't keep that sort of thing from us. We call it a hidden agenda, and it engenders distrust. Be upfront with us. In fact, you should tell the others"

"I will take it under advisement."

"You're such a bureaucratic cliché sometimes."

"Explain that phrase."

"Never mind. What are you working on."

"Preparations for an argument I must present upon my return."

"Concerning the moral ambiguity of this trip of yours?"

"Yes."

"Fun. Let me know if you need help with that."

"I do not."

"You don't even realise you're doing it, do you?"

"Clarify."

"Sulking in your room. Refusing company out of spite."

"Such emotional behaviour would be-"

"Yeah, I know."

"Is there anything you require of me, Ms Grayson?"

"Sarek."

"Ms Grayson."

"Teach me your language, Sarek. Tell me about your people."

"That information is available in the databanks, to which you have unlimited access."

"It's not about the information, but about people, Sarek. In this case, you and your view on Vulcan."

"I see."

"And call me Amanda, please."

"Very well."


	3. Sarek makes a family

**3: Sarek makes a family**

**Sarek, son of Stonn, personal log #1915, stardate 1074.176.**

My acquaintance with Amanda has improved. She has convinced me that the subtleties of the language make learning it a worthwhile endeavor. Instead of finishing my current papers, I find myself writing a new one, together with her, on comparative linguistics.

She continues to work with P'rinta and two other linguists from amongst the humans. By the time we arrive on Vulcan, we will have the beginnings of a Standard Vulcan-to-English dictionary.

Several other humans have finished learning how to fulfill several positions on the ship and have requested temporary assignments so they can do their work independently. Individual information exchanges have resulted in several informal classes, meeting at set times every day, taught by both humans and my crew.

Despite this, more structural differences between us have become clear. Beyond a certain level of familiarity, humans apparently expected the Vulcans to start emoting. When they did not, this resulted in several disruptions that came to my attention.

Boldek and Anna, as the first Vulcan and human to declare themselves romantically attached, have become mediators. An increase in verbal feedback generally and an occasional telepathic sharing between potential romantic partners seems to be an acceptable solution to both sides.

**Sarek, son of Stonn, personal log #1937, stardate 1074.198.**

I crave her company. She spent our daily two hours together with P'rinta and I missed her, which caused me to review my past behaviour. I have discovered certain patterns of behaviour meant specifically to increase my time with her.

She has not discouraged me so far.

We are setting course for Vulcan today. We have reached capacity, and currently have fifty-six humans aboard.

**Sarek, son of Stonn, personal log #1939, stardate 1074.199.**

I have formally declared my intentions. She has agreed to a period of courtship. A long discussion of appropriate courtship behaviour reminded me we come from very different backgrounds. Again, articulation of problems seems to be key.

**Sarek, son of Stonn, personal log #1941, stardate 1074.201.**

Our relationship does not lend itself to a more equitable interaction. Arguments occur with the same frequency. Their intensity has increased in equal proportion to the level of emotion involved.

**Sarek, son of Stonn, personal log #1945, stardate 1074.205.**

We have shared a meld for the first time.

Her mind resembles her childhood home. She grew up in Canada. She has recreated a day in late September, which means it is the end of the hot season for them.

I found the environment to be comfortable. It resembles the climate down near Lake Ischara, near Vulcan's South Pole. Our House has some land in its vicinity. Perhaps I will request the use of it, so I can take Amanda there.

Earth's yellow sun cast everything in a peculiar green-gold light. The smell of wood is all-pervasive. I do not know whether this is her mind's doing or a reflection of reality. Whatever one's location in the house, a low-key humming in a female voice can be heard. She informs me it is her mother. Her father survives in her mind in various sounds from the garden, wood chopping, the buzz of a hedge trimmer, an indistinct conversation with a neighbour.

Neither of her parents can be seen, and the furniture, aside from a few key pieces and Amanda's own room and the kitchen, are indistinct. She seems to have a predominantly auditory memory. This is in keeping with her choice of career.

I discovered several of the items from my office have migrated into the guest room in her mind. It is an indication that our relationship is progressing well.

**Sarek, son of Stonn, personal log #1950, stardate 1074.210.**

I have been negligent in reporting the ship's status and that of the mission in my personal log.

No large developments have presented themselves. The crew continues to function as a group, though we have seen many small issues arise and be resolved. I have prepared a separate report on these, because it seems this group has become an invaluable case study in how Vulcans and humans would adapt to each other if they lived in close quarters.

Once we arrive, this process will need to be repeated between humans and the other Vulcans they encounter. Perhaps the existent connections with my crew will aid them.

I find the crew itself has become more cohesive as a result of this mission. I have considered hiring several of the humans to remain aboard in future missions.

Amanda calls this smooth sailing. Her friend Nikolai calls it the calm before the storm.

Undoubtedly T'Pau will find me several "storms" between the present and the time we dock.

My communications with several acquaintances in the Vulcan Science Academy have suffered from my reconciliation with the mission, they had expected me to remain a sceptic.

I have used their latest messages in order to strengthen my argument. I am now able to predict what direction the Vulcan Science Academy's objections to my mission will take.

**Sarek, son of Stonn, personal log #1955, stardate 1074.215.**

Amanda has asked what will happen once we disembark. I had already informed everyone of the accomodations available to them, so I did not understand the question. It seems she meant to inquire after the status of our relationship.

I have told her I hoped to convince her to bond with me.

She is convinced, but merely wishes to acclimatise to the idea, she said.

That is agreeable. As a further gesture of commitment, I have requested her permission to introduce her as my future bondmate to my clan mother. Permission was granted.

**Sarek, son of Stonn, personal log #1997, stardate 1075.9.**

The series of meetings between the Vulcan Science Academy and the Space Exploration and Defence Association has been concluded. T'Pau is returning from a meeting with the Federation Council.

Since our mission is now officially in violation of the Prime Directive, none will follow it. Neither will any of us receive our salary or promotion.

Since it was successful and had been officially sanctioned by all relevant parties, neither are we imprisoned or demoted. We are to be grounded for a year, of which 243 days remain.

The humans have requested us to help them in their integration. None of my crew have refused.

Several more pairings have declared their intention to bond, seven of them with a potential for off-spring, and one all-male and one all-female paring. It seems these configurations are also known, if controversial, on Earth. It will allow us to explore the different dynamics of these relationships from a Vulcan and human point of view and see to which degree they are successful. The lack of immediate disapproval was agreeable to the humans.

Amanda is open to the idea of having a child, although she claims I am "moving fast." I walk with average speed.

It will be approximately two years before we can bond.

**Sarek, son of Stonn, personal log #2578, stardate 1078.233. **

Surak's teachings demands that we recognise truth. It is a crucial step in achieving a peaceful mind. She who is my wife informs me there are multiple truths. I have discovered this to be correct.

The first field test in enabling Vulcan's repopulation is complete and succesful. We may proceed in investigating how we can reduce the need for medical interference, so we may let biology run its course in creating our families.

Yet a deeper truth is that she who is my wife bore us a healthy son. I am father; she is mother. Between us thrums the triangle-bond of a young family. Her humanity was no objection in the formation of a bond between her and Spock.

I am gratified. I linger longer in this level of truth than I do in that of academic accomplishment, which I once valued above all other aspects of my life.


End file.
